Senate Passes Measure To Extend MCARE Program, Keep Doctors In Pennsylvania

Harrisburg -- This week, the state Senate passed a bill cosponsored by Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) that would extend the MCARE abatement program and help keep doctors in the Commonwealth.

The four-year old program, which helps physicians pay a portion of their medical malpractice insurance premiums, was set to expire at the end of the year. Senate Bill 972 would extend the program to December 31, 2007. The bill would also amend the law to cover emergency physicians who work in trauma centers.

"We created MCARE to avert a crisis that threatened to severely limit access to doctors in Pennsylvania. So far, the approach has been successful and we need to continue it," said Robbins.

Robbins said that from 2002 to 2004, the percentage of resident physicians who trained in Pennsylvania and then stayed in the state to practice fell from 24 percent to 8 percent. However, Pennsylvania's medical community is seeing improvements thanks to the comprehensive patient safety and tort reform provisions of Act 13 of 2002 and the MCARE abatement program.

The legislation now heads to the House for further consideration.

CONTACT:

Nate Silcox
(717) 787-1322